


Let the World Burn

by quill_and_ink



Series: A Shot at Happiness [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Arguing, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Making Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-03 20:46:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17884934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quill_and_ink/pseuds/quill_and_ink
Summary: Maybe Camille was right all along... maybe immortals aren't meant to find love.When Jace goes missing, Alec goes into overdrive trying to find him, causing tension to build between him and Magnus, threatening to tear apart their fragile new relationship.Based on the dialogue and actions from S02E01 of "Shadowhunters".





	Let the World Burn

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently, this is now just going to be a thing where I go through Malec scenes. I'm not hating it. XD
> 
> Majority of the dialogue comes from Shadowhunters S02E01.
> 
> Unbetaed, all errors are mine. Comments and kudos are eternally loved and appreciated! <3

Three days.

It had been three days since the wedding-that-was-not that changed Magnus's life. Seventy-two hours, far too little sleep, and more ups and downs than a rollercoaster. These three days felt like they'd been going on longer than all of the centuries Magnus had been alive.

Jace was still missing and Magnus had been suckered into helping the Shadowhunters try to track him down. His fingers tightened on the cream-colored shirt that Isabelle had thrust into his hand moments before, sliding across the ribbed fabric as he strode into the ops center with Isabelle and Lydia. He kept his gaze averted from Alexander's former betrothed; he still wasn't entirely sure how to act around her given his part in their very public breakup.

"Any word from the Clave?" Isabelle asked, her words jarring him from his introspection.

"Not yet, and we've been trying for the past four hours," Lydia responded tersely. Magnus's heart skipped a beat as Alec soared into place next to them, his face dark and brooding with the severity of the recent events.

"Mmm, the Clave being unhelpful? Who's shocked?" Magnus quipped in an attempt at levity. "Show of hands?" A pang of worry sank into place when he registered the dark circles under Alec's eyes, and he fought to focus on the situation at hand.

"I'm worried," Alec admitted. "I can't sense Jace through our _parabatai_ bond."

Magnus caught Alec's eye. "We'll find him, Alexander," he said, offering up a small smile of reassurance, faltering when he was met with a stony-eyed gaze in return. Swallowing down the insecurity that threatened to overtake him, he turned and walked past the end of the table around which they had congregated.

"When we arrested Hodge, he said Valentine was on a ship," Isabelle stated, looking over at Alec. "They must still be over water."

"Pull up the waterways around New York," Lydia instructed, giving Isabelle a nod. Isabelle held her hands over the table, her gesture generating a hologram of the bridges and waterways around the city. Magnus turned towards the shirt in his hands, holding it up and directing his magic towards the clothing, struggling to detect any kind of trace of the missing Shadowhunter. 

"The ship couldn't have gone too far," Isabelle mused as she and Lydia examines the hologram. Alec's gaze darkened further and he looked over towards Magnus as the warlock sent another burst of power towards the garment. 

"Anything?" he demanded.

Magnus's lips tightened into a thin line in frustration as the shirt refused to give up any secrets. "Sorry..." he murmured faintly, twisting his fingers to try a different angle.

"There's gotta be something!" Alec snapped, his voice raised in irritation and a hint of fear. Magnus glances up, startled. Alec had never before spoken to Magnus like that and Magnus certainly didn't appreciate it.

"I don't see him," he said slowly with a small shake of his head, his brow furrowed. Alec glared at him for a moment before turning away.

"All right, listen up!" he shouted, catching the attention of every Shadowhunter in the room. I want 24/7 monitoring on the Hudson and East Rivers. If you see anything unusual, you come to me first," he ordered.

"I've got this, Alec," Lydia told him, her voice firm.

"Then why haven't you found Jace yet?" Alec demanded, towering over her. Magnus reluctantly felt a bit impressed with Lydia as she stood her ground, glaring back up at Alec.

"Don't forget who you're talking to. I am still the Head of this Institute," she reminded him, frowning.

"And my brother is still missing," Alec retorted, his voice breaking slightly. Magnus's magic faltered a bit as he watched the exchange, unsure if he should step in or make himself scarce.

"Why don't you just take a break?" Isabelle suggested kindly, approaching her brother and Lydia.

"Not now, Izzy," Alec said, brushing her off as he refocused on Lydia.

"Isabelle's right, and it's not a request. You're dismissed," Lydia told him, gesturing towards the door.

Alec stared at her in disbelief for a moment. "Fine!" He cast a glare around the room as he turned to storm off.

Without even thinking, Magnus pushed through Lydia and Isabelle and caught Alec's arm. "Hey..." His voice trailed off; he realized that he didn't know what to say. Alec glanced down at Magnus's hand on his arm and yanked himself loose of the warlock's grip.

"Everybody, just back off!" he shouted, turning and stalking out of the ops center. Magnus watched him leave, stunned. _Is this what it's come to already?_

"Magnus..." Isabelle murmured as he turned and steadily walked back to Jace's shirt, plucking it up from the table where he'd dropped it moments before.

"It's fine," he reassured her, giving her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Really. After all these years, it takes far more than that to bother me, never fear." Her crimson lips quirked into a semblance of a smile as she and Lydia turned back towards the hologram of the New York waterways. Magnus refocused on tracking Jace, the reassurance that he'd just offered up to Isabelle falling away as his mind spun.

* * *

Later that night, on a tip from Izzy, Magnus stepped out of the stairwell leading up to the rooftop, taking a deep breath of the early fall air, watching Alec's strong shoulders shift underneath the thin fabric of his shirt as he gripped the ledge.

"I'm sorry for how I reacted before," Alec stated without turning around. "It's not personal."

Magnus bit his lip, steeling himself before he slowly approached. "I get it," he acknowledged as he reached Alec's side. He waved his hand in an all-encompassing gesture. "I'm a lot to get used to." He hesitated for a moment before he placed his hands on the rooftop ledge next to Alexander's, their hands just barely touching. "I know what you're going through, Alexander."

Alec turned towards him, stammering in his hurry to speak. "No, I... I don't think you do. Jace is a part of me. Through a rune, we are both physically and emotionally connected. If he dies, a part of me dies, too. And I know he's out there. And he's in trouble, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it." Alec turned away from him once more to walk back inside.

"Tell me what I can do," Magnus asked, desperate to keep Alec safe and with him. He wasn't sure if he could handle Alec turning his back on him once more.

Alec swiveled around, and Magnus's heart twisted at the determined expression on the Shadowhunter's face. "Help me track Jace. I want to use our rune. I just need your magic for the pain."

Magnus stared back at Alec, dread creeping through his veins at the thought. "I can't help you with this," he said softly. He took a few cautious steps towards Alec, as though he were approaching a wounded animal.

"Why not?"

"The last time you used a rune to track Jace, it almost killed you," Magnus reminded him pointedly.

"Why can't you just do this one thing?" Alec burst out, startling Magnus back a step. "After everything I've done for you?!"

For the second time that night, Magnus watched, shocked, as Alec walked away from him. He flinched as the heavy door to the stairwell slammed shut, leaving him alone on the rooftop of the Institute. A sudden chill swept over him and he shivered in the brisk air of the night.

"This always happens," he whispered to himself as he stumbled backwards, slumping to the ground and leaning his back against the rooftop ledge. He sank his fingers into his hair and pulled, the strands slick with product against his hands. _Maybe Camille was right all along... maybe immortals aren't meant to find love._ He pulled his hands from his hair and stared at them, his rings glittering in the starlight shining far above, as he lost himself in his doubts.

* * *

Magnus felt drained. The night had gone on forever, with two separate arguments with Alec, the new head of the Institute locking the Shadowhunters down, and his interview with said new head. All he wanted was a stiff drink, a hot shower, and his bed. His mind swirled, trying to process the events of the last several hours, as he walked through the ops center, uncharacteristically quiet compared to earlier in the evening. He stretched his neck, feeling a satisfying pop, as he turned the corner into the final hallway leading to the exit.

"Hey." Magnus closed his eyes, half-hoping the voice was a figment of his overtired imagination. "Hey!" _No such luck._ He sighed and slowly turned around to see Alec walking up to him. "Are you goin' home?"

"Where else would I be going?" Magnus asked, somewhat confused. "My interview's over, and I'm exhausted. Besides, at my house, there's steak and vodka. I'd rather be there," he added flatly, turning away to head back to the exit. He truly didn't want to fight with Alec yet again, but with how high tensions were currently running, that seemed impossible to avoid.

"Wait, you're just... you're not gonna help?" Alec asked disbelievingly. Magnus closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before he faced Alec once again.

"You really don't get it, do you?" he asked, hushed as he cast his gaze over Alec's face. The Shadowhunter's brow knit in confusion. Magnus felt his frustration, simmering beneath the surface all night, begin to bubble over despite his best efforts. "You didn't risk anything for me, you did it for you," he said, his voice sharp with accusation. Alec's eyes widened and a flush blossomed high on his cheeks.

" _What?_ Are you seriously doing this right now? Right now?!" he demanded.

Magnus fought back the instinct to step forward into Alec's space as he retorted, "You know damn well I want to find Jace just as much as you do, but that's no excuse to treat me like -"

"Well, then, what do you want from me?!" Alexander shouted at him. Magnus took a step back, refusing to hide the shimmer of tears that brimmed in his glamoured eyes as he and Alec stared at one another in a heavy silence.

"At the moment..." Magnus whispered, the words thick in his throat, "...nothing."

Alec recoiled, his mouth opening in a wordless murmur. Magnus flinched as a shrieking alarm blared loudly throughout the Institute, the hallways and lights flashing red as the ops center flooded with Shadowhunters. He blinked furiously as tears threatened to fall, determined to rein in his emotions for just a few moments to make his escape. He gazed at Alec once more before decisively turning on his heel and walking towards the door. He heard Alec sigh wearily behind him before his footsteps carried him away and into the ops center. Magnus rested his hand on the heavy wooden door, fighting to stop the flood of emotions that raced through him. _I need to get out of here. This, all of it, was a mistake._

He glanced over his shoulder and spotted Alexander standing at the edge of the growing crowd of Shadowhunters, watching him walk out the door. Even at this distance, the tensing muscle in Alec's jaw was visible. _Or maybe that's because you've managed to memorize his every feature,_ his mind pointed out traitorously. Magnus closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before he pulled the door open and slipped out as Aldertree's voice began echoing throughout the halls.

* * *

Magnus spent the next day in a sullen silence, doing his best to not reflect on the fact that, as a centuries-old all-powerful warlock, he was sulking like a twelve-year-old girl whose parents told her she couldn't dye her hair. He sat on his couch, long legs crossed as he swirled the glass of red wine in his hands, flexing his fingers irritably. He'd felt off-kilter all day, itchy in his own skin, his magic crackling and seething just beneath the surface. He took another sip of the wine, grimacing when it suddenly tasted vinegary on his tongue.

He surged to his feet, unceremoniously dumping the wine out into the kitchen sink, followed by the rest of the bottle for good measure. He stared down into the empty wine glass, silty dregs of the beverage settling at the bottom. A prickling heat swept up his spine and he suddenly spun, hurtling the crystal glass against the nearby wall. A shockwave crashed into him as he watched the berry-red liquid seeping like blood down the smooth wall, shattered crystal shards embedded in the paint and scattered all over the floor. He dug his fingers into his hair, pulling at the strands until tears of pain sprang into his eyes, and he dropped into a crouch on the floor as he choked back an infuriated sob.

 _What the fuck is wrong with me? I shouldn't be letting a fucking_ Shadowhunter _get to me like this._

He swiped at his eyes, glancing dispassionately at the faint smudges of black eyeliner and glitter that transferred to his fingers, before pulling himself to his feet. He headed to the balcony, snapping his fingers in an afterthought to vanish the remnants of the wineglass and the stains on his wall, and threw the doors wide, welcoming the burst of cool air on his overheated skin. His power roiled in his veins and he settled into a wide stance, conjuring up a ball of pure energy to release some of the magic that had been threatening to drag him down. He concentrated on the movements, shifting the ball from one hand to the other, trying to forget all about the Shadow World, narrowing his focus to his loft, his balcony, and the exercise, pausing only to strip off his vest as his body warmed to the familiar steps, sweat dripping down his chest. He absently noted the glamour slipping from his eyes as he worked, determined to further lose himself in his practice.

The wards around his loft flared suddenly, alerting him to Alexander's unannounced arrival. Magnus gritted his teeth but gave no indication that he acknowledged the Shadowhunter's presence as he listened to his approaching footsteps. He paused for the briefest of seconds before pulling his glamour back over his eyes. Alec didn't get to see them, not tonight.

"Magnus," came Alec's voice, slipping over the warlock like silk over skin. Magnus's magic stuttered ever so slightly, noticeable only to him as the ball of energy dimmed for a half-second. "I'm not good at apologies, but I'm... I'm sorry."

Magnus's left pinky trembled as he twisted again, carefully transferring the ball to his other side, inhaling sharply. "Continue."

He could practically feel the wave of frustration rolling off Alec as he sighed and shifted. "I'm... really sorry."

Magnus's jaw tensed as he crooked his fingers, sending another pulse of magic to join the crackling ball drifting just past his fingertips. He wasn't going to let Alexander off easy. "For...?"

Alec sighed. "Look, can you just cut that out for a second?"

Magnus snapped, hurling the energy ball backwards over his shoulder, making his best guess at Alec's location in his living room. He glanced over his shoulder at the crash of a lamp falling off a table, ignoring Alec's gaze in favor of dropping his hands and walking over to where he'd tossed his vest. His hands shook slightly as he listened to Alec crossing the threshold of the balcony. The Shadowhunter's presence intensified in the small space and Magnus felt acutely aware of every inch of his bare skin on display. He felt, rather than saw, Alec's gaze travel over his torso, glistening with the efforts of his exercise.

"You were right," Alec began hesitantly as Magnus pulled his vest back on, steadfastly avoiding Alec's eyes. "When I called off my wedding, that was for me. But this is all just... It's very new."

Magnus scoffed as he spun to face Alec, his voice a bit derisive as he retorted, "This may surprise you, but you're new for me, too." A tiny twinge of guilt wormed its way into Magnus's mind as Alec turned away. Magnus glanced down and zipped his vest to try and retain whatever dignity he had left, his heart twisting as he snuck a sidelong peek at Alec, his gaze trailing along Alec' strong jawline.

"Look, with Jace missing, it's just like... the ground has shifted and I can't keep my balance." Magnus rolled his eyes as the conversation once again turned back to Jace. He flexed his fingers and turned to stride back into the loft, his breath catching in his throat when Alec's hand flew out, catching his bicep with an audible slap of bare skin. "Just -" Heat flooded through Magnus at the feel of Alec's hand, rough and calloused from years of archery, sliding down his arm to curl around his own. Against his will, Magnus's eyes slid up to meet Alec's and found himself once again captured in those hazel depths as Alec's thumb brushed over the back of his hand, back and forth, back and forth, each swipe of skin on skin dusting away another layer of Magnus's hurts. "I didn't mean to take it out on you. I'm sorry."

He gazed back at Magnus, so earnest, baring his soul to Magnus with those eyes so open. Magnus knew he couldn't hold any kind of a grudge or anger against him, not when he was standing here in front of him, looking at him like _that_. Hesitantly, he nodded, a quick jerk of his head before he lost his nerve. "You're forgiven," he said quietly, glancing down at their hands. "Also... you're great at apologies," he admitted wryly. He reluctantly pulled his hand free from Alec's grip and reached up, straightening the collar of his jacket, his fingers smoothing the fabric flat, the strong collarbone barely detectable through the layers. A smile spread across Alec's face and Magnus was once again struck at the Shadowhunter's beauty as he laughed softly and turned to look out over the city.

"Thanks. I've been working on it," Alec mumbled, a light flush on his cheeks as he inhaled deeply. Magnus paused for a moment before throwing all caution to the wind and stepped up next to him.

"Here's the thing," Magnus said, pushing back the desire to wring his hands together. "We're always going to face challenges." Alec turned towards Magnus, his expression serious as his eyes drank in Magnus's face. "So when things get crazy, don't push me away." Magnus's heartbeat fluttered as Alec nodded solemnly and he stepped a bit closer to the Shadowhunter, the heat radiating off Alec's body intoxicating.

Alec reached out and grasped Magnus's hand again, interlacing their fingers together as his other hand traced nonsensical patterns along his skin. Magnus's eyes slipped closed as the weight of the last few days rolled off his shoulders. As a result, he didn't even register that Alec was moving until his free arm tentatively slid around Magnus's shoulders, stepping into a loose hug. Magnus froze for a moment, still unused to this type of physical contact after more than a century without, before he slid his own hand up Alec's back, his fingers clenching in the fabric. Alec drew their still-entwined hands up between their chests, Magnus's hand against Alec and Alec's against Magnus. A sudden surge of emotion flooded through Magnus as he felt Alec's heartbeat thudding against the back of his hand and he stepped forward, crushing their hands between them as he pressed himself against Alec's body and dropped his forehead onto Alec's shoulder.

Alec, to his credit, immediately curled himself around Magnus, his fingers twisting through the damp hair at the base of Magnus's neck. He turned his head to brush his lips over Magnus's temple as Magnus's fingers flexed and contracted against the back of his jacket. "Magnus, I'm an idiot," he whispered against Magnus's skin. "I didn't ever want to treat you like that or - or shout at you or take you for granted, and I'm just... I really am sorry."

Magnus squeezed his eyes shut in a vain attempt to drive away the glittering sheen of tears that he knew lingered just behind his eyelids. He pulled away slightly, nodding as he looked up at Alec, smiling softly at the concern written across his face. "I know," he murmured as Alec's thumb brushed across the soft skin just behind his ear. His gaze dropped to Alec's mouth, lips smooth and soft and slightly reddened, as though he'd been biting them all day -

"This probably sounds crazy since all we've done over the last few days is fight, but I really want to kiss you right now," Alec breathed, his eyes wide as they locked onto Magnus's. The warlock smiled, melting further into Alec's arms as his hand dropped down Alec's back to settle just above his jeans.

"Well then, what are you waiting for, Shadowhunter?" he said coyly, practically purring as his mouth tilted into an inviting smirk. Alec rolled his eyes, grinning as he leaned down, dropping a lingering kiss onto Magnus's waiting lips. In that kiss, the world seemed to right itself, just for a moment and Magnus quite happily threw every concern out of his mind, perfectly content to let everyone and everything else crash and burn if it meant he could keep kissing this beautiful man pressed against him.


End file.
